Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 41:6
And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
6. blasted with the east wind ] The east wind in the O.T. is always a synonym for dryness, parching heat, and violence. Cf. Eze 17:10; Eze 19:12; Hos 13:15; Jon 4:8. In Egypt the S.E. wind is the dreaded khamsin, which brings the sandstorms in the spring, Ar. sirocco.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 6. Blasted with the east wind] It has been very properly observed that all the mischief done to corn or fruit, by blasting, smutting, mildews, locusts, c., is attributed to the east wind. See Ex 10:13; Ex 14:21; Ps 78:26; Eze 17:10; Jon 4:8. In Egypt it is peculiarly destructive, because it comes through the parched deserts of Arabia, often destroying vast numbers of men and women. The destructive nature of the simoom or smoom is mentioned by almost all travellers. Mr. Bruce speaks of it in his Travels in Egypt. On their way to Syene, Idris their guide, seeing one of these destroying blasts coming, cried out with a loud voice to the company, “Fall upon your faces, for here is the simoom! I saw,” says Mr. B., “from the S. E. a haze come, in colour like the purple part of the rainbow, but not so compressed or thick. It did not occupy twenty yards in breadth, and was about twelve feet high from the ground. It was a kind of blush upon the air, and it moved very rapidly, for I scarce could turn to fall upon the ground, with my head northward, when I felt the heat of its current plainly upon my face. We all lay flat upon the ground, as if dead, till Idris told us it was blown over. The meteor or purple haze which I saw was indeed passed, but the light air that still blew was of a heat to threaten suffocation. for my part, I found distinctly in my breast that I had imbibed a part of it; nor was I free from an asthmatic sensation till I had been some months in Italy, at the bathe of Poretta, near two years afterwards.”-Travels, vol. vi., p. 462. On another occasion the whole company were made ill by one of these pestilential blasts, so that they had scarcely strength to load their camels. – ibid., p. 484. The action of this destructive wind is referred to by the Prophet Ho 13:15: Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an EAST WIND shall come, the wind of the Lord shall come up FROM THE WILDERNESS, and his spring shall BECOME DRY, and his fountain shall be DRIED up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A boisterous wind, and in those parts of the world very pernicious to the fruits of the earth, Eze 17:10; 19:12; Hos 13:15.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And, behold, seven thin ears, and blasted with the east wind,…. Which is very fatal to corn, to dry, burn, smite, or blast it; and especially to the corn in Egypt, whither it blew from the desert of Arabia: these
sprung up after them; after the seven full ears, in the same place the other did, or near unto them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(6) East wind.In Palestine the prevalent winds are those which blow from the west or east, and the latter, coming across arid deserts, is injurious to vegetation. In Egypt the winds generally are from the north or south, but the south-east wind, called Chamsin, blowing from the deserts of Arabia, has even more disastrous effects upon plants than the east wind in Palestine, and from the small dust with which it is laden is baleful also to human life. As there are no words in Hebrew for any except the four principal winds, this south-eastern wind may be meant; or as kdim, east wind, became the usual name of every wind that burned up vegetation, the term may be employed in a general sense.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Blasted with the east wind The south-east wind, known as the Chamsin, which comes from the Arabian desert and blights all that it touches . These incidental notices of facts peculiar to Egypt evince the genuineness of this narrative .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 41:6. Blasted with the east wind To this wind, Bishop Patrick observes, is ascribed in Scripture all the mischiefs done to corn or fruit, by blasting, smutting, mildews, locusts, &c. Exo 10:13-15. Psa 78:26. Eze 17:10. Jon 4:8. It is more pernicious, in AEgygt than in other places, because it comes through the parched desarts of Arabia. Thevenot, in his Travels, (part I. book ii. c. 34.) gives an account that, in the year 1658, two thousand men were destroyed in a night: by one of these blasting winds: and the same author says (ch. 80) that “these unwholesome winds blow about Grand Cairo fifty days together from the beginning of April, filling all around with suffocating dust.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 41:6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
Ver. 6. Blasted with the east wind. ] Which is, Ventus urens et exsiccans, saith Pliny: The property of this wind is to burn and blast the fruits. Eze 17:10 ; Eze 19:12 ; Hos 13:15
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
east wind. In Egypt the prevailing winds are N. and S.: in Palestine E. and W. The wind here is the Ckamsin (Hebrew. kadim), which is southeast, and is a blighting wind. Hebrews had only the four quarters. Had it said here south, it would have meant nothing, but east conveys the nature of the wind, especially as evil was supposed to come from the east and good from the west, as in other countries.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
blasted: Eze 17:10, Eze 19:12, Hos 13:15
Reciprocal: Gen 41:23 – thin Gen 41:54 – the seven Exo 10:13 – east wind
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 41:6. Blasted by the east wind Coming through the parched deserts of Arabia, and very pernicious in Egypt. Thevenot, in his Travels, part 1, Gen 50:2, c. 34, says, that in the year 1658 two thousand men were destroyed in one night by one of these blasting winds.